The benefits of membership :The cost of entering competitions is cheaper.children can participate in music making and socialise with other children in a safe environment,.
by becoming amember you are helping to strengthen an organisation that while it has many faults also does much good.
members are free to become involved as branch treasurer, secretary ,publicity officer etc,it is actually up to people to get involved and try and change things from grass roots level.
of course that is much easier said than done[and thats an understatement]
what needs to happen is that less power should be given to the central body and more to the regional branches.Dick Miles